Bovine + Equine Behavior

Cattle social structure

herd animals on home range, matriarchal, males older than 4 form bachelor groups, complex but stable hierarchies

Male cattle social structure

males older than 4 form bachelor groups close to the female herd, 3-10 males, more agnostic behavior

Cattle affiliative behavior

"creche" or babysitting behavior, allogrooming

Cattle agnostic behavior

threats via staring or head toss, butting, fighting

Cattle sensory perception

300 degree visual field, monocular vision, see yellow/green and blue/purple, rapid movement triggers greater amygdala response, flehmen response, 11 different vocalizations

Why do cattle balk at shadows

Sensitive to light and dark contrast

Butting another cow occurs at

Shoulder, side, or rear of other cow

Cattle fighting

Frontal vs clinch attack, fights settled quickly

Cattle clinch attack

Head into flank or between rear legs

Cattle maintenance behavior

light sleep while grazing during rumination with short periods of REM, auto and allogrooming, feeding/grazing

Drinking differences between zebu and Taurus

Zebu were drought tolerant, Taurus were water intensive

Cattle maternal behavior

females isolate for calving, post=partum grooming, weaning around 1 year naturally or 4-6 months domestic

What causes milk to release

Oxytocin release when calves bump udder

Cattle bonding with calves occur

Over a period of days with smell, sight, and vocal imprinting

Cow repro behavior

increased agitation, urination, and cow-cow mounting

Cattle tail position can tell you

Cows in heat, calving, small role socially.

Cattle have few facial signs, what are they?

Whites of eyes, grimaced muzzle, eye wrinkles,

Bull repro behavior

guarding behavior to court, flehmen response

Horses evolved from

Eohippus

Horse domestication

8000 years ago, capture and hand rearing of neonates

Equine social behavior

harem herd with mature stallion, larger herds have bachelor and natal bands, hierarchy is determined by dominance

Natal bands

Groups of offspring driven out to prevent inbreeding

Horse vision

360 degrees, monocular

Equine signaling

Ear and tail positions, posture, vocalizations, chemical, tactile

Equine threat displays most often to

Reinforce hierarchy

Submission in horses

Submissive retreat

Equine affiliative behaviors

allogrooming, play

Equine agnostic behaviors

arched neck, pinned ears, head toss, bite/kick threat

Equine maintenance behavior

grazing which is socially facilitated, allogrooming, rolling

How much time do horses spend grazing

60-80%

When do foals start grazing

1-2 weeks

Coprophagy equine

Normal in foals

Equine pica

Ingestion of soil, rocks, and sand (abnormal)

Equine repro behavior

seasonal breeders when daylight increases

Stud repro behavior

Pre-copulatory, copulatory, and post-copulatory

Mare equine repro behavior

females have 3 phases: attractive, prospective, and receptive

Equine maternal behavior

11 mos gestation, isolate for birth, wean at 1-2 years

Foal behavior post-partum

arise within 2 hours, most behaviors expressed in 1-2 days.

Weaning in equine

1-2 years

Crèche behavior more typical in which cattle?

Beef

Cattle social order is usually maintained through

Threats and body postures